• John Bolton pleads guilty to one count of illegally retaining classified information.
• He faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $2.25 million fine.
• The plea agreement allows him to avoid prison time if conditions are met.
• Bolton shared sensitive notes with family members while writing a memoir.
• His prosecution is part of broader scrutiny of former Trump officials.

John Bolton, a former national security adviser to President Trump, pleaded guilty on Friday to unlawfully retaining classified information during a federal court hearing in Maryland. Bolton had been indicted on 18 counts related to his handling of sensitive documents, including notes from intelligence briefings and meetings, which he shared with two relatives as part of his memoir preparations, according to CBS News and BBC.

As part of the plea agreement, which requires judicial approval, Bolton could face up to five years in prison, though he may avoid incarceration depending on the judge's decision. He also agreed to pay a fine of $2.25 million, to be paid in installments, according to Al Jazeera and India Times.

Prosecutors reported that the materials retained included over 1,000 pages containing classified information exchanged via email and messaging apps with family members. This was revealed in the context of his writing process for the book "The Room Where It Happened," although Bolton's memoir was ultimately published without classified content, according to South China Morning Post and Los Angeles Times.

Bolton's case stands out among other prosecutions of Trump critics, stemming from an investigation that began prior to Trump’s return to office in 2025, and was supported by career officials at the Justice Department. This is unlike many other political prosecutions that have drawn allegations of partisan motivations, as noted in Reuters and Reuters.